Board of Trustees

Calvin Brodie | Appointed in 2017 by the N.C. Legislature; term ends 2025 

Brodie is president of Brodie Contractors, a general contracting company that specializes in masonry construction. The company began with two local masons and has grown to employ over 300 laborers, masons, engineers and managers.

Brodie is a member of the North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association and served as president for two years. His company maintains a reputation of dedication, quality-work and efficiency. Brodie Contractors boasts work seen on the campuses of North Carolina State University, Duke University, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A&T State University; Wake County Schools, the Town of Cary and the City of Raleigh as well as many other high-profile entities.
 

 
Mark Copeland | Reappointed in 2023 by the N.C. Legislature; term ends 2027

Located in Dallas, Texas, Copeland currently serves as the US West Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) Managing Partner for EY. In this capacity, he is responsible for a team of more than 1,200 professionals covering 18 states and 28 offices. Previous to this position, Mark served as the Southwest Region TAS Managing Partner from July 2013 to July 2019.

Prior to relocating to Dallas, Copeland served as the Office Managing Partner for EY in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Charlotte office consisted of approximately 620 team members providing our clients with advisory, assurance, tax, and transaction advisory services. Mark has approximately 23 years of public accounting experience, including more than 19 years of transaction-specific experience. He has gained extensive transaction knowledge from providing advisory services for over 300 transactions.

Copeland was recognized in 2011 by The Charlotte Business Journal as one of the “40 Under 40” for making major strides in their careers and communities. He was recognized by the American Diabetes Association and the Father’s Day Council as a Father of the Year for the Carolinas in 2013.

Copeland is a CPA in the State of North Carolina and the State of Texas. He received his bachelor and master degrees in accounting from East Carolina University.

 
William Dudley | Vice Chair; Appointed in 2019 by the B.O.G.; term ends 2025

As a senior state government administrator, with more than 31 years of executive management experience, Dudley is now retired. During his years of state government service, Dudley served as the assistant to the president of Lenoir Community College, as a personnel analyst in the Office of State Human Resources, as the Executive Director of the Inmate Grievance Resolution Board and as the Chief Deputy Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety. As Chief Deputy Secretary Dudley’s responsibilities span the managerial, budgetary and operational management of the department which included agencies such as the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Alcohol Law Enforcement, Governor’s Crime Commission, Division of Emergency Management and several others. 

Dudley was born and reared in La Grange, N.C., where he attended and graduated from the public schools of Lenoir County. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Social Services form North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 1972, where he served as senior class president. In 1976 Dudley earned his Juris Doctor degree from the North Carolina Central University, School of Law. Dudley is admitted to practice law in the various courts of North Carolina and the Eastern District of the United States District Courts. Since retiring from state government services Dudley has maintained a limited law practice and provided management consultation services through his company, Dudley Solutions, LLC. 

Dudley is a life member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and is a current member of Public Education Works, board of directors. In addition, Dudley has served as a member of the national N.C. A & T Alumni Association. Dudley previously served as a member of the N.C. A & T Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2017.

Kimberly Bullock Gatling | Chair; Appointed in 2023 by the B.O.G.; term ends 2027

Gatling is a partner and chief diversity and inclusion officer with the firm of Fox Rothschild LLP in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she practices in the areas of patents, trademarks, copyrights, software, and related licensing and litigation matters. 

Gatling grew up in Hampton, Virginia.  She graduated cum laude from North Carolina A&T State University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering.  She graduated from George Washington University Law School in 1999 with her Juris Doctor degree.  She served on the editorial board of the American Intellectual Property Law Association Quarterly Journal while she was in law school.  Gatling is licensed to practice law in North Carolina, before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and before the United States Supreme Court.

Gatling is on the Boards of Directors for the Culp, Inc. and Truliant Federal Credit Union. She is a former Chair of the Board of Visitors for North Carolina A&T State University.  She formerly served on the Boards of Directors for the United Way of Greater Greensboro, Cone Health Foundation, Gateway University Research Park, North Carolina A&T State University Real Estate Foundation, North Carolina Bar Association, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro, and the Women’s Resource Center. She is a member of Providence Baptist Church, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Links Incorporated, and Jack and Jill of America, Inc.

Gatling is very busy at home with being a wife and mother to three sons.  She enjoys spending time with her family and swimming.

Paul L. Jones | Appointed in 2017 by the N.C. Legislature; term ends 2025

Jones is a retired Senior Resident Superior Court Judge with over 20 years of experience. From his time building his own law firm, to a distinguished military career, to his numerous years working throughout the state and federal court system, Jones is a proven leader and legal expert.

Jones received a B.S. from North Carolina A&T State University (1971) and a J.D. from North Carolina Central University School of Law (1974). Bar membership includes North Carolina, District of Columbia and all three federal courts in North Carolina.

Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Jones ultimately retired from the U.S. Army Reserve with the rank of Colonel and numerous commendations and awards, including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. In 2003, he was inducted into the A&T Army ROTC Hall of Fame.

After his discharge from the military, Jones returned to his hometown of Kinston, North Carolina to begin the practice of law. Later he served as managing attorney for Eastern Carolina Legal Services, owned a legal firm, and taught at North Carolina Central University School of Law. Prior to military active duty at Fort Hood, Texas for three years, he served as a staff attorney with the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

As a testament to his leadership and service, Jones has been appointed to numerous boards, commissions and associations throughout North Carolina; including the North Carolina State Banking Commission, North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission, and Vice President of the North Carolina Bar Association.

In recognition of his service to the state and profession, he has been awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, N.C. State Bar John B. McMillan Distinguished Service Award, and N.C. Bar Association Legal Legends of Color Legacy Award.

Gina Loften | Secretary; Appointed in 2023 by the B.O.G.; term ends 2027

Loften is a Fortune 100 board director and recently retired as the chief technology officer for Microsoft US. She is a leader with a track record for successfully helping enterprises put innovation into practice to deliver shareholder and business value.

As a global executive, trusted advisor and thought leader, Loften has been adept in using her unique insights to scale businesses at various stages of growth and size. She has demonstrated her expertise in mergers and acquisitions by identifying and integrating software and consulting companies, creating portfolios of new products, services and revenue streams, and has held senior executive positions in research, development, sales and consulting at IBM and Microsoft. Her roles have been characterized by increasing responsibility, scope and range from emerging businesses to multiple $B impact to the organization.

Loften currently serves as an independent board director for the public companies NASDAQ: TTEC and NASDAQ: TWKS (Thoughtworks). She is a member of the TIAA (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association) Board of Trustees and is also on the board of the private companies Foursquare and Modernizing Medicine.

Active in the community, she is known for leadership and passion in STEM education and advising business leaders on growth. In 2022, Loften was recognized by Gov. Roy Cooper for her career as a STEM leader. She has also been recognized by US Black Engineer, National Diversity Council – Top 100 CTOs, NC Business Magazine – Changing Face of Executive Power in NC, Business NC Power List. She was also featured in Business Insider - “9 Powerful Leaders of Color to Consider for Board Seats in 2022” and Diversity Woman Media’s “The Elite 100: A Tribute To Black Women Executives.”

Loftin is a graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (engineering).

Gregg Lowe | Appointed in 2023 by the B.O.G.; term ends 2027

Gregg Lowe joined Wolfspeed in September 2017 as president and chief executive officer (CEO) and served in that capacity through November of 2024.

Prior to Wolfspeed, he served as president and CEO of Freescale Semiconductor, a $5 billion global company with products serving automotive, industrial, consumer and communications markets. During his time at Freescale, Lowe led the successful merger with NXP Semiconductors N.V., creating a high-performance, mixed-signal semiconductor industry leader, with combined revenue of more than $10 billion. Prior to Freescale, he had a long career spanning 28 years at Texas Instruments including executive roles as senior vice president and leader of the analog business.

In addition to his roles as a corporate executive, Lowe also holds numerous board positions including Silicon Labs in Austin, Texas; Semiconductor Industry Association in Washington, DC; and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, where he serves as chairman of the board.

Lowe holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (where he played football for the “Fighting Engineers”) and has completed the executive program at Stanford University. He is the recipient of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Career Achievement Award, which honored both his accomplishments in the semiconductor industry as well as his community service, and he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from the Institute in 2014.

Lowe is married and has two adult children. His career spans living in Houston, Detroit, Munich, Nice, Dallas, Austin, and now Durham, North Carolina. He is fluent in German.

Joseph R. Parker Jr. | Appointed in 2017 by the B.O.G.; term ends in 2025

Parker is a retired senior vice president of the former Wachovia Bank. During his 31 years of service, Parker held several leadership positions, including manager of residential mortgage manager for Virginia and president of Wachovia Community Development Corporation.

Parker also served on numerous boards and commissions, including chairman of the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and founding board member of KeySource Commercial Bank. Currently, he is a member of the Aggie Athletic Foundation Board of Directors, N.C. A&T National Alumni Association Inc. Board of Directors and N.C. A&T Board of Visitors.

Parker is a 1967 graduate of North Carolina A&T State University. He and his wife Nellie live in Durham, North Carolina. They have two children and three grandchildren.

Hilda Pinnix-Ragland | Appointed in 2017 by the B.O.G.; term ends 2025

Pinnix-Ragland is a retired Duke Energy corporate affairs and business executive acknowledged for building best-in- class organizations that consistently achieve aggressive revenue and profit objectives. She currently serves as Chief Financial Officer at AHK Global Resources. She is also a dedicated board member/advisor to numerous industry, educational, and community organizations, bringing new strategy and processes to enhance effectiveness. 

Pinnix-Ragland serves on the board of directors of RTI International as vice chair of the board and chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Audit Committee, and is an independent director and chair of the board for North Carolina Dental Services Inc.

Pinnix-Ragland is also on the advisory board of BB&T Bank and 8 Rivers Financial Capital, Inc. She is a Chapter Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors, a member of Women Corporate Directors, Executive Leadership Council, and the recipient of the Triangle Business Journal’s Lifetime Women in Business Award and 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, she recently published the book, Women in Energy: An Illuminating Perspective from Five Trailblazers.

Pinnix-Ragland holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from North Carolina A&T State University and a Master of Business Administration from Duke University Fuqua School of Business. She also completed graduate studies in taxation at St. John’s University and the Executive Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

George W. Ragsdale | Appointed in 2023 by the B.O.G.; term ends 2027 

George Ragsdale has three decades of experience in Banking, Real Estate and business leadership.  This expertise has served him well in a variety of roles. After graduating from NC State, he served as a Vice President at BB&T in many positions within his 10 year tenure. Following time at two Community Banks, George became principal at B.R. Foxx and Company in Jamestown, North Carolina.  As Principal of both B.R. Foxx and The Wrennovation Companies George has expanded the company’s Real Estate Portfolio to include substantial holdings throughout The Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee. Today, George serves as the Director of Business Development for Wells Fargo covering the Carolinas. In addition to that leadership role, George serves on the Guilford Technical Community College Trustees where he is the Immediate Past Chair as well as a Director on the North Carolina Textile Foundation. Prior service includes the NC Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council, Family Service of the Piedmont(Past Chair), YMCA of Greater Greensboro, Hospice of the Piedmont and many others. He is a proud supporter and advocate of education in North Carolina. Through his generosity and foresight, George is playing a vital role in securing the future of education for all North Carolinians.  In his leisure time George enjoys Family, Golf, Fishing and the Outdoors.  George and His wife Jenny live in Jamestown with their son Wrenn (15) and daughter Katherine (14). 

 He earned his bachelor’s degree in textile and apparel management in 1999 from the Wilson College of Textile at NC State University and completed the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.
 

Kylie Rice | Ex Officio; Term ends 2025

Hailing from Roswell, Georgia, Kylie Rice is a Senior honors student at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where she is pursuing her studies in Political Science as an esteemed Lewis and Elizabeth Dowdy Scholar. Since her arrival on campus, Kylie has consistently demonstrated her commitment to campus life and community involvement. 

Currently, she holds a prominent role as the Student Government Association President leading The Change Administration. In this role, she actively contributes to shaping the university's governance and policies, while serving as an advocate for the entire student body. Prior to this, she served in previous positions of Attorney General, the Student Judicial Council, and Freshman Class President. Additionally, she serves as a Civic Fellow within the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement, furthering her dedication to civic responsibility and community engagement. 

In the spring of 2022, Kylie became an initiate into the Alpha Phi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, a testament to her dedication to sisterhood and service. 

Looking ahead, Kylie’s aspirations include attending law school to pursue her Juris Doctorate, with a profound commitment to becoming a civil rights attorney. Her future endeavors are rooted in her passion for justice and equality, making her a promising advocate for change in the legal field.

Sean Suggs | Appointed in 2024 by B.O.G.; Term ends 2025

Sean Suggs is the president of Toyota Battery Manufacturing, North Carolina (TBMNC), where he directs Toyota’s newest plant in North America, overseeing construction and start of production of the $13.9 billion investment.

Under his leadership, the plant will employ 5,100 North Carolinians and have 14 production lines delivering lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and battery electric vehicles.

Suggs joined Toyota in 1998 as a team leader at its manufacturing plant in Princeton, Indiana after proudly serving in the United States Army for eight years. During his tenure, he served in several roles and was named general manager of quality planning in 2008. In this role, Suggs oversaw professional development, vehicle quality and manufacturing quality for current and new model production.

He rejoined Toyota in 2014, after serving as director of strategy, administration, and human resources at Nissan’s North American headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee from 2008 to 2013. During his five years with Nissan, he also directed production quality at the company’s manufacturing plant in Canton, Mississippi.

Most recently, Suggs served as president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Mississippi in Blue Springs, where he was responsible for production of the Corolla. He was subsequently promoted to group vice president and chief social innovation officer for Toyota Motor North America, where he oversaw efforts to uplift communities, improve access to opportunities, build diverse and inclusive workforce, and foster an inclusive culture to drive and grow the business.

Suggs serves on the boards of Renasant Bank, Toyota U.S.A. Foundation and S&P Global Mobility Council. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Auburn University and a Bachelor of Science from Oakland City University in Oakland City, Indiana.

Jini D. Thornton, CPA | Appointed in 2023 by the B.O.G.; term ends 2027

Thornton is the founder and CEO of Envision Business Management Group, a boutique firm that provides a full range of accounting and money management services for clients exclusively in the entertainment industry. Her A-list clientele encompasses artists, producers, songwriters, actors, record labels, and talent management companies.

For over 20 years, Thornton has been the go-to financial expert for Radio One. She is currently the financial expert on the nationally syndicated “Rickey Smiley Morning Show,” “The Willie Moore Jr. Show,” and “Get Up! Mornings With Erica Campbell.” You can tune in weekly and hear her in over 90 cities nationwide.

Thornton is also the founder of Thank Me Later, a financial education platform, that empowers Black women to create, build, and transfer wealth. As the host of her weekly podcast, The Thank Me Later Show with Jini, she teaches her listeners how to master their money so they can transform their lives.

Thornton received a Master of Science in Taxation from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.